A Pepsi Cola employee who slipped and fell on an "unnatural" sheet of ice filed a personal injury suit against a Collinsville grocery store.

William Parker claims he suffered permanent low back injuries after falling on ice in the Super Value parking lot on Feb. 2, 2004. Greenswood Grounds Keeping, a snow removal business owned by Jon Ashcraft III, was named as a co-defendant in the Jan. 23 lawsuit filed in Madison County Circuit Court.

He claims Super Value, owned by Schulte Stores, was negligent by instructing the parking lot to be plowed in an improper manner by depositing a pile or bank of snow along the higher portion of the parking lot.

Parker claims that there is a slight incline from the roadway to the store on the west side of parking lot.

Accumulated snow melted and refroze in certain areas of the parking lot which created an "unnaturally hazardous" condition, the suit claims.

Parker claims the grocery store failed to properly instruct Greenswood to plow the snow to a spot that is not a higher elevation, failed to inspect the parking lot after the snow was plowed and failed to warn customers or put up barricades around any unnatural accumulation of refrozen melted snow.

According to the complaint, Parker's injuries have caused substantial pain and suffering, as well as numbness, tingling and radiating pain into his legs and feet. He claims he has become liable for medical expenses including a low back surgery.

He also claims his injuries have caused him physical restrictions, loss of range of motion, lost wages and have substantially affected his lifestyle and enjoyment of like.

Miranda Parker, William's wife, clams she has been deprived of the consortium, companionship, society, services and affection of her spouse.

Represented by W. Michael Gnavi of Collinsville, the Parkers are seeking damages in excess of $200,000, plus all costs of the suit.